Kansas Tax Receipts in June Exceed Estimates by More than $17 Million
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) – Total tax receipts in Kansas exceeded expectations last month. The state also closed its fiscal year ahead of projections. For the month of June, Kansas brought in nearly a billion dollars in tax revenue - about $989 million. That's $17 million more than expected. The extra revenue allowed the state to close out its fiscal year nearly $26 million ahead of projections. Kansas ended the fiscal year June 30th with total tax collections of more than $10 billion. Governor Laura Kelly praised the news, crediting her administration with attracting new businesses, expanding the workforce and growing the economy. She also said she looks forward to working with the Legislature next year to provide Kansans with more tax relief.
Governor Laura Kelly announced today (WED) that her administration helped create or retain more than 60,000 jobs since she first took office. Kelly said the surge in economic activity over the last several years has resulted in Kansas being awarded three consecutive "Gold Shovel Awards" from Area Development Magazine for attracting business projects and significant new jobs. In addition, Site Selection magazine has also recognized the state with two consecutive Governor’s Cups for having the most capital investment per capita in the nation.
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Overnight Storms Knock Out Power to Thousands of Evergy Customers in KC
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — Thousands of Evergy customers in the Kansas City area lost power Tuesday night and Wednesday morning after thunderstorms rolled through the area, packing winds up to 70 mph. The high winds snapped tree limbs and even knocked down some trees. By mid-morning, hundreds remained without power in parts of Kansas City. To track outages in your area, view the Evergy outage map.
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Nearly 3,000 in Topeka Temporarily Lose Power Due to Tuesday Night Storms
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) - Thunderstorms knocked out power to nearly 3,000 people in the greater Topeka area Tuesday night. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that service had been restored to most customers by mid-morning. The National Weather Service reported 88 mph winds to the north of Topeka, in Jackson County, but no weather-related injuries were reported. Shawnee County found itself under five different severe thunderstorm warnings late Tuesday and early Wednesday but no serious damage or injuries have been reported so far.
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KC Records 100th Homicide of 2023, Then Its 101st
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — Kansas City Police are investigating the city's 100th homicide of the year. At this point last year, Kansas City had 74 homicides. Detectives say 42-year-old Jon Rone was found dead after being stabbed at a gas station. The incident happened yesterday (TUE) afternoon along East U.S. Highway 40. According to KSHB TV, a person of interest was taken into custody.
Several hours later, Kansas City recorded its 101st homicide of the year. Police say one person died and a juvenile was injured in a separate shooting at another gas station, this one in east Kansas City (in the 8500 block of Woodland Avenue). Police found an adult man inside the gas station with an apparent gunshot wound. He died at the scene. A second victim, a male juvenile, was taken to a hospital in stable condition. KSHB TV reports that no one is in custody in connection with this deadly shooting.
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4-Year-Old Kansas Girl Struck by Bullet; Police Suspect Celebratory Holiday Gunfire
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 4-year-old Kansas girl has been hospitalized after she was shot in the arm while watching fireworks, and police suspect the bullet may have been fired into the air in celebration of the Fourth of July. Wichita police said the shooting happened Tuesday night. The child was in serious condition, but her injuries are not life-threatening, police said Wednesday. The girl was watching fireworks and playing with neighbors when she was struck. Police said the injury “appears to be from a stray bullet strike," and urged people not to shoot into the air.
“This reckless behavior exhibits a lack of regard for human life,” police said in a news release.
No arrests have been made, but an investigation continues.
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Chase by Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Ends in Death of Shooting Suspect
EL DORADO, Kansas (AP) — Authorities say a woman who was fatally injured in a crash while being chased by the Kansas Highway Patrol on Wednesday had just fled the scene of a shooting. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to the shooting between El Dorado and Shumway around 10:30 a.m. The shooting victim was taken to a Wichita hospital with critical injuries.
The patrol said a trooper soon spotted the suspect's pickup and a brief pursuit ensued. Trooper Chad Crittenden said the officer performed a maneuver using his vehicle to try to force the pickup to spin out and stop. The pickup then hit a sign in a business parking lot in the Wichita suburb of Bel Aire. The driver, a woman in her 60s, died at the scene. Her name has not been released. Crittenden told reporters that the trooper tried to force the stop because the woman was a suspect in a shooting and was getting ready to travel into a highly populated part of northern Wichita. He said he didn't know her hometown.
Details on the shooting in Butler County were not immediately released. The patrol is investigating the crash, while the Butler County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting.
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Father of 3 Struck by Lightning While Walking on His Kansas Farm
WAMEGO, Kan. (KAKE/KC Star) - A Wamego man is recovering from a heart attack after being struck by lightning. Matthew Campbell and his wife were walking on their family farm last Friday when a thunderstorm moved into the area. KAKE TV reports that Matthew was hit by lightning and his wife Jen says she was thrown by the force of the strike. According to a GoFundMe page set up for the family, Matthew was last listed in critical but stable condition at an area hospital. It's unclear how much Matthew's hospital stay and medical bills will cost, but at last check, his GoFundMe page had raised more than $68,000. The Kansas City Star reports that Matthew and Jen Campbell are parents to three children and owners of Woolly Bee Farm. The couple harvests flowers, honey, berries, meats and eggs, which they sell at the Manhattan Farmer’s Market.
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Drug Overdose Deaths Rates on the Rise in Kansas, Missouri
UNDATED (KSHB/KPR) — Deaths from drug overdoses are on the rise nationwide. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the death rate was at 13.2 overdose deaths per every 100,000 people in 2011. Just 10 years later, that number more than doubled -- rising to 32 overdose deaths per 100,000 people. Death rates from overdoses have also increased in both Kansas and Missouri.
A new effort is underway in Kansas City to help people recover from drug addiction. KSHB TV reports that a program called "Envision Recovery" is operated by a man who got clean himself. David Zelk is a former addict who's now helping others conquer their own addiction. "Envision Recovery" provides housing, job assistance and other services for those looking to break free of drugs.
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St. Joseph Man Drowns at Smithville Lake on Fourth of July
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — A 22-year-old St. Joseph man drowned on the Fourth of July at Smithville Lake. KSHB TV reports that Carlos Antonio was swimming at Little Platte Swim Beach Tuesday evening when he went into the water and never resurfaced. The Missouri Highway Patrol says Antonio's body was later recovered.
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Storage Costs Affecting Grain Purchase Pricing
UNDATED (HPM) — The cost to store grain at elevators or farmer-owned co-ops is high right now. That’s due to growing interest rates, high crop prices and rising transportation costs. Harvest Public Media reports that grain elevators are paying more than ever to store farmers’ wheat, corn and soybeans. As a result, ag economists expect many elevators and co-ops will likely pay less for grain this year to offset the high storage costs. Scott Harre, who buys grain for a co-op in rural Illinois, says the market’s been a challenge for elevators and co-ops too.“It's frustrating from the standpoint you're not able to make the margins that you intend and think you should be able to make," he said. "It's not really any fault of your own.” Many in the grain markets say they’ll keep a close eye on interest rates and drought conditions in the coming weeks.
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Tougher Work Requirements Coming for SNAP Benefits
UNDATED (HPM) — Congress recently expanded work requirements for those who get food assistance, raising the age up to 55. Just a few months earlier, the state of Kansas had raised the age limit even higher. Congress expanded the work requirements during debt ceiling negotiations, a move that would normally take place during Farm Bill negotiations.
Harvest Public Media reports on the tougher work requirements for food assistance in Kansas, and what they can tell us about food access nationwide.
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Earthwork Artist Stan Herd Creates Image of Bob Dole in Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Earthwork artist Stan Herd is creating a giant image of the late Kansas Senator Bob Dole, just outside the Dole Institute on KU's west campus. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Herd uses the ground as his canvas - using soil, coal, flowers, rock and mulch to further enhance his designs. The longtime Lawrence resident has earned international acclaim for his earthwork designs. The Bob Dole image should be completed later this month - just in time for the Dole Institute's celebration of the late senator's birthday. A free public celebration will be held July 22nd, which would have been Dole's 100th birthday. (Read more.)
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Massive Retail Crime Wave Washes over Kansas and Missouri
New York (CNN/KPR) - Retail crime in Kansas is bad and getting worse. So says Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. In an interview with CNN, Kobach said Kansas and Missouri are among the top 10 states in the nation for the volume of retail crime. He says Kansas lost approximately $642 million in stolen goods in 2021. Kobach says there's a connection between drug trafficking, especially fentanyl addiction, and organized retail crime. Authorities say a Victoria’s Secret store in Wichita has lost $30,000 a month to theft. And the Cabela’s store in Wichita has reportedly lost more merchandise than any other Cabela's in the nation. CNN reports that a pattern of serious planned and brazen heists has retailers on edge all across the nation. In cities like San Francisco, retailers are closing up shop altogether.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays and updated throughout the day. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.